Nevada County picayune., 1887-01-05
TOLD BY PATTERSON.
A Pennless Rebel Soldier in Cincinnati.
 His First Position on Newspaper.

Watterson was here, he told a story about his experiences in Cincinnati. He said:
 "I arrived in Cincinnati one clustering winter night, ragged hungry stranger, just out of the rebel army. 1 had just enough money to pay for nights lodging. How well l remember wandering about the streets of the city, won dering what the next day would bring me. 1 believed that I had ability as a journalist, and l was satisfied that if had an oprorta- nity I could prove it. was in the act several times of entering the different morning newspapers and applying for work, but l was so down-hearted that 1 did not have the courage to do so. l took d good sleep that night, and did not get up until late the next day. My case was a desperate one, and l felt that I must secure employ ment. I never felt more determ- iued in my life. 1 felt as if l could face the sternest editor in the land without a quiver. In this frame of mind 1 started out to make a tour of the various offices. At the first office the editor, In a blunt way, told me that his staff was crowded, and then resumed his work. l vis- ited all the newspapers with the same result, except the Times of flee. That paper had large job printing office attached to it, which did great deal of theatrical print. ing. l also noticed that the paper had . miserably written dramatic column. 1 called on Colonel Star buck, the editor and proprietor, and asked if there were any yacan- cies on his staff.
 "'Therc are never any vacancies on a good paper, but there is al- ways room for a good man. said the Colonel.
 "I shall never forget that reply and it is one l have always made to applicants for positions on the Courier Journal. 1 told Colonel Starbuck that l thought could improve upon his dramatic column, and proposed to write it for noth- ing if he would give me 25 per cent commission on all the printing and advertisements secured from the theaters. He declined the propo. sitiOn. As I was about to leave he turned to me and said he would give me SIP a week to perform that service. What a change came over mc. l Immediately felt my i self rich. I told him l would ac cept it. He then said that l must not feel offended ii at the end of the week he found l did not suit and he dismissed me. l knew I would suit, for knew the full ex. tent of my abilities, and told him that if 1 was not competent l should consider it an offense if he did not discharge me.
 "This was the first of the week, and 1 started in that day. never undertook a task with more enthu. siasm. l attended the theaters every night. Before the end of the week Colonel Starbuck ex- pressed his approval. On Satur- day afternoon l went to the thea ters to collect tue money for print ing and advertising due the Times. At the National Theater, after col lecting the money, was handed an envelope addressed to me. Sup posing it contained an item of news or a ticket. l put it into my pocket unopened. At Pike's another en. velop bearing my name was pre- sented me, and the same thing oc- cured at Woods Theater When 1 returned to the office, l opened the envelopes and found the ones presented to me at the National and Pike's each contained $1O. The one received at Woods con tained SJ. told Colonel Starbuck the circumstances and rendered him the money. He said that it did not belong to him and he would not accept it. l said it cer- tainly did not belong to mo and that 1 would not accept it. l re. turned the donations to the theatri- cal managers. They said the money had been given in consideration of the favorable notices l had given the performances.